Up until a few weeks ago not many people in Britain had heard of the Quenelle.Now after West Brom's Nicolas Anelka celebrated his opening goal against West Ham adopting the Quenelle pose---a straight arm inverted Fascistic salute with the other arm coming across the shoulder---we're all more aware of it.
But what is it and what does it mean?
The origins are from a French comic called Dieudonne M'bala M'bala and he says that the Quenelle is an anti establishment signal,not anything to do with being anti-Semite. Maybe it started out that way however by 2009 he was using it to promote an anti-Zionist party in the elections----I know anti-Zionism is'nt anti-Semite per sa,but it's certainly going down the same track---Since then it's been appropriated by every right wing nut, and those pathetic saps who just like to shock without consideration,in France by posing for photo opportunities doing the Quenelle in front of Synagogues',Anne Frank's house and,most disturbingly, Auschwitz.
M'bala has done nothing to quell this ugly display of crass insensitivity,or downright antisemitism.Indeed he appears to revel in it,still saying it's anti establishment...
It's gone too far away from any pretence about it's origins now.Even if it did begin life as a jokey "up yours" to their rulers---which i doubt---Everyone knows what it means now.Show anyone a Swastika and they don't think of it as a Hindu symbol used for thousands of years in their worship.They think of the murderous Nazi's.The same is now true of the Quenelle...
What of West Brom's sponsors Zoopla? The company chose to issue a press release yesterday stating they will end their sponsorship owing to Anelka's gesture.Understandable as the company's co owner is Jewish.However why wait a month to register their disgust? Why not cut the ties totally now rather than wait till the end of the season,especially as their sponsorship is due to end then anyway?
My cynicism has been further fueled by the timing of the break with the club.It seems they waited till the whole of the spotlight was on West Brom with a televised Monday night game to announce it.Yes they were disgusted by Anelka's apparent anti-Semitism but not until the opportunity arose to get a shed load of free publicity.A month being outraged...Zoopla said they were waiting to see what West Brom did before making a decision.Sorry but it was obvious what West Brom would do...Nothing
Talking of which:West Brom are just like any other club in this regard.Excellent at playing the PR game when it comes to the local community ---very laudable---but when real issues pop up involving one of their star players they're found to be as morally bankrupt as any other football club.
This is not a dig at our rivals down the road...It's a dig at all of football.The game's littered with those who sully the image.From the downright stupid to the crass and even,thankfully rare,to those that have killed.Yet how many have been drummed out of the game due to their misdemeanors'?
The truth is all clubs will retain the services of their players for as long as they're useful no matter how they behave.Morality 0 Pragmatism 1 In the rare event a club does do the decent thing and jettison a malcontent there's always a queue waiting to sign him up...
Personally i don't think anyone has come out of this sorry saga very well...
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